4x06: And Those We've Left Behind

[wendelah1]

"And Those We've Left Behind," is the inevitable time loop episode, with a Fringe-y twist. The best known example of this science fiction trope is "Groundhog Day," but the concept dates back to science fiction stories from the forties. The X-Files episode "Monday" is another well-known example. The Fringe plot is a reworking of an old episode of Stargate SG-1, "Window of Opportunity," in which a scientist creates a time machine to see his dead wife. In the process, the scientist inadvertently traps the inhabitants of 14 different planets in his temporal loop. Raymond Green, the engineer in "And Those We've Left Behind," has a similar motive: his wife, Kate, was a brilliant theoretical physicist who is dying of early onset Alzheimer's disease. Raymond uses her ideas and his knowledge of electrical engineering to build a machine to return them to the time before she became ill.

This episode works well when it's focused on the plight of the Greens. Raymond has no idea of the damage he is doing to the world. He just wants his wife back. Even when confronted with the evidence, Raymond is too consumed with grief and guilt to do the right thing. Fortunately, Kate understands what is happening, to the world and to Raymond. To prevent her husband from moving house and rebuilding the machine, she erases all evidence of her scientific breakthrough, leaving behind only this note: "Raymond, I love you. How you repay me... Just love me and live your life."

This is a compelling, gut-wrenching scenario, and I was moved by how the writers worked out the Raymonds' fate. Their story certainly fits into the Fringe thematic continuum: Walter crossing universe to save Peter, Olivia crossing universes to save Peter, etc. But I don't see how the romance of Peter and Olivia is in any way comparable to the suffering of this ordinary, middle-aged couple. It's almost like Peter and Olivia haven't earned it yet. Don't get me wrong--I like Peter and Olivia just fine, as a pairing and as individuals--but so far, I can't see them as an epic romance, let alone one that literally transcends time and space.


Writer: Robert Chiappetta and Glen Whitman
Director: Brad Anderson
Originally aired: 11 Nov 2011

Synopsis: The Fringe team investigates multiple time anomalies that are causing destruction and panic in the greater Boston area.

Most Memorable Quote:
RAYMOND GREEN: I can't go on without you. I don't want this for us. Kate, when you got sick, it happened so fast. And all the things that you were for me and all the things that you did for me... I didn't have a chance to be that for you. I thought we'd have more time.

KATE GREEN: This isn't living, Raymond. Living is what's beyond this room, beyond this house, out there in the world where you're supposed to be.

Links:
transcript
EW Fringe Recap: Bursting Bubbles
Polite Disent

Fanfiction:
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Comments

[sprocket]

Window of Opportunity is one of my favorite SG-1 episodes. But what SG-1 plays for laughs, Fringe plays for tragedy.

The time device is a great plot device for S4, which has a lot of moments that call back to previous episodes. Peter is back; there's a lot of tension between the expectations of the previous timeline and the uncertainty any of those apply in the new timeline; there's a new iteration of the shapeshifters. The Groundhog Day-like plot device is reminiscent of "White Tulip", but also ties into some of Fringe's favorite themes, like the boundaries of science, and the penalties of transgressing those boundaries. Some things are supposed to remain theories... you don't understand what you've done. Kate's words to Raymond echo Carla in "Peter", to Walter: some things are not ours to tamper with. It's also playing with love and memory, with Kate's Alzheimer's, calling back to Peter again. And as Raymond’s little time-bubble collapses, Peter gets the Cambridge house back.

None of this breaks new storytelling ground for Fringe, but it connects very organically and affectingly into what’s come before.

For once, the case of the week was really strong, but the bigger arc wavered a bit. What were the writers thinking, when they handwaved Raymond's time device working right when Peter popped back into existence? Is Peter breaking the universe? Is he breaking it in the same way it's breaking on the other side? Is it a different sort of damage? That element isn't really followed up on. It's particularly annoying because you say "Peter, time," and I say, "Observer arc". "And Those We've Left Behind" spends precious air time on the question of Peter's connection to Raymond's machine (lower case, ha), but Fringe never really goes anywhere with it.

It's a shame, because there's other stuff that could have been done with that air time. I hooked one of my friends on Fringe, over the winter, and she has already finished Novation, I'm so proud of her. Her major gripes so far are that there is not enough Nina and Lincoln isn't getting any character development. Or really getting to do much of anything. I didn't notice this until she pointed it out, but it's true, isn't it? Eho does Lincoln interact with in early S4? What do we find out about his background? Fringe develops three characters in obsessive detail, across two universes and a timeline reset - Walter, Olivia, and Peter - and kind of short-shrifts a lot of other characters to make room for the dense, involute Bishop-Dunham story. Cough, Astrid, cough. (And I could watch John Noble and Blair Brown banter all day.)

The other theme that could be pulled out of "And Those We've left Behind" is isolation. Peter is caught up in a mini-loop, to his disorientation and the confusion of his colleagues. ("This is going to start getting annoying", ha.) Walter in self-imposed isolation from Olivia, Peter, and Lincoln's planning session behind a wall of sound. (BTW, excellent playlist choice, Walter. ) Raymond desperately chasing after the Kate in his past, to the (presumed) exclusion of a wider life. That's one place where the case of the week diverges from the larger arc: Kate destroys her work to push Raymond into moving forward. The Fringe team spends most of the season mired in not just history, but selective history from another timeline.

I do like the intercutting during Peter's time loop, though. And the jump between Walter's perspective under the headphones and the brainstorming team around in the lab. It's amazing how the little directing and editing cuts add so much to the storytelling.

[wendelah1]

"Window of Opportunity is one of my favorite SG-1 episodes. But what SG-1 plays for laughs, Fringe plays for tragedy."

I love the funny episodes of SG-1 best and it's one of my favorites, too. But it's the scene at the end where O'Neill confronts the scientist that elevates it into the top tier for me. I love it when a writer can start with humor, move the characters through funny scenes into a more serious climax, and still end on a light note. That script is as close to perfect as SG-1 ever came. As much as I love Fringe, humor has never been its strong suit. Walter's antics occasionally provide some comic relief but the overall plot arc of nearly every episode is so dark.

My husband and I are convinced that Peter popped back into this universe because of September's intervention. His plan to save humanity somehow hinges on Peter's continued existence.

I have more to add but my hands are already crapping out. Maybe tomorrow.

[sprocket]

Fringe tends toward snappy one-liners, but sustained comedy isn't its thing, no.

My husband and I are convinced that Peter popped back into this universe because of September's intervention. His plan to save humanity somehow hinges on Peter's continued existence.

Interesting! Do you think Peter's directly required, or is this another Observer daisy-chain of causality?

Looking forward to your thoughts when your hands are up to it.

[purpleyin]

This episode never fails to get to me, in a similar way to 'White Tulip' though its lack of focus on Olivia, Lincoln or Astrid makes it fall a little flatter overall for me.

I do like Peter's little time jumps too but I was surprised neither Olivia or Lincoln experienced them - I'd be inclined to think if either had they'd have said so since it was known to be relevant. Granted Olivia is suffering from migraines and Lincoln is sleep deprived so could they have suffered small ones without noticing?

I got a bit frustrated at the explanation of the machine only working since Peter got back, because that wasn't really explaining what his presence was doing to their universe.

One nitpick for this episode is how the hell did Kate manage to black out all that book in the brief time she had available. I know plot reasons call for it but eh, bugs me. Mind you, I'm also irked at home they hadn't evacuated the tunnel and had Lincoln just filming it. Anyone with half a mind should've been at a safe distance outside the tunnel (and then they get a reason for a cool remote controlled robot to view the event!).

I'd be interested to know thoughts on the Faraday cage harness from people who actually know about such things - is that possible? I don't wish to doubt Walter's genius on the show, since in the context he does pull off the seemingly impossible, but could Peter with his unique popped back into existence have some extra quality of being able to survive stepping into the time bubble anyhow?